San Jose, Costa Rica and beyond

Drive to Monteverde

Feb. 2010 Arriving in San Jose for extensive dental work for Alan at the Prisma Dental Clinic, we secured a taxi and headed into the city. With eleven implants and two root canals scheduled during our stay, much of Alan’s week was not going to be pleasant. Price for the work was half what we were quoted in the U.S. so he would get the dental work and we’d have a vacation and still save money. The bustling city streets were full of taxis darting around, and buses had passengers packed like sardines in a tin can.

Tourists are not advised to walk around the city during the evening, but we had the whole

afternoon to explore before Alan's procedure would start the following day. Walking and driving anywhere in Costa Rica is a challenge due to the lack of street and directional signs. The address on our first hotel was 50 meters east of La Sabana Park. Our first afternoon, we walked to the Mercado Central (central market). The crowded market carries everything from t-shirts to coffee beans. It also houses several small sodas (small inexpensive eateries). Ordering a shrimp and avocado salad, we received a fabulous hot, buttery and garlicky concoction we’ll be duplicating on our return home.

As Alan withstood the dental drill, I located the Soda Tapia. This popular spot for locals has been around for 40 years serving homemade ice cream and milkshakes---perfect for Alan's current liquid/soft dietary regimen.

With the first part of the dental work completed, we had a week to explore before returning for the completion of the job. Now, with temporary teeth in place, we took off for the Monteverde Cloud Forest in our rental vehicle. Locals have chosen to leave the bumpy dirt/rock roads leading to the area.  While visitors are welcome, they want their paradise to

remain unspoiled. After enduring the rough ride in and experiencing the locale, I think they are right.

Waking early the following day, we met our guide, Rodrigo. Clad in ponchos, we trekked into the misty clouds in search of the elusive resplendent quetzal. Rodrigo provided extensive information on the flora and fauna of the area but, we were also treated to sightings of both male and female quetzals. Spectacular birds and a thrill to spot.

Mission accomplished, we moved on to Nosara. Our friends, Pete and Emily, completed a home in the surf area and relocated from the U.S. over a year ago. Their home overlooks the town of Nosara and the Gulf of Nicoya, providing a fabulous view. Adjusting to life in Costa Rica has had many difficulties, but also many blessings and they seem content to stay here for a long time. The dry summer season of the Pacific coast was a strong contrast to the lush greenery of the Monteverde area. The beaches were lovely, but the grasses were brown, and most of the large trees were leafless due to the lack of water. Dusty roads were similar or worse than the roads approaching Monteverde. Locals, once again, are trying to save their area from development. The rainy season, which starts in a few months, will bring everything back to life.

After bidding our friends adieu, we headed for Lake Arenal and the Arenal Volcano. Arenal erupted in 1968, wiping out three villages and killing scores of people. Since then, the volcano erupts on a regular but small scale. Arenal Vista Lodge overlooked the lake and volcano, both clearly visible. Soon after our arrival, we were treated to eruptions which continued off and on for about the next four hours. Around 10 P.M., clouds and rain moved in and hid the mountain from our view for the remainder of our stay. Our timing had been perfect. The sight of the lava pouring down the mountainside was a unique and thrilling experience for us.

Headed back into San Jose for the second part of Alan's dental work, the torrential rains from the previous day had washed out part of the road on our route. Detouring through the
mountains, hairpin turns and heavy clouds diminished visibility to less than 50 feet for miles on end. Finally, we descended out of the clouds into blue skies. The agricultural valley area of Zarcero, with perfectly platted lush green farms, was beautiful. Roadside markets offered local cheeses and produce, but our detour had left us with no time to stop.

We arrived in San Jose just in time for the afternoon appointment. Now, Alan has a full upper bridge and a wonderful new smile. Mother Nature decided she wanted us to experience a little bit more of what Costa Rica had to offer. Around 11 P.M., our hotel room (and all the surrounding area) was shaken by a 4.4 earthquake. We evacuated the hotel, as did the other guest. After deciding there would not be an encore, we returned to our room for a restless night sleep. We were woken at 6 A.M. by the shrill blare of the hotel's fire alarm. There was no fire, but it added to the excitement of the night. With Alan's dental work completed, we headed for the Caribbean coast. 

The drive through the rainforest, banana and pineapple farms was lush and green, a stark

contrast to the Pacific coast.  Hotel Banana Azul, an ecolodge with 12 guest rooms, was nestled between the black sand beach and the jungle. A set menu was available for breakfast and dinner (which was included in our room rate), so we didn't have much reason to leave the resort. But we did some exploring in Puerto Viejo, this is a big surfing area and a multicultural experience. With a population of around 2000, the latest census found residents from 49 countries. Resting in the hammock on our balcony, we could oversee the activity in the pool and jacuzzi and decide if we should motivate ourselves to indulge. Our stop here was a nice conclusion to the Costa Rica trip.